Draft-gear.



J. F. COURSON.

DRAF GEAR.

APPLlcA'TloN man SEPT. x6. 191s.

Patnied Aug. 21, 191?.

www.

JorIN ooUnsoN, or PITCAIRN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 191'?.

Applicationniea september ie, 1916. seriaiNo. 120,495.

` of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Draft-Gears,

of which the followingis a specification;

My invention relatestoiinprovenients in friction draft gears 'for railway1cars,`etc.`,

and has for its objectto provide,fin a draft v gear utilizing an `assembled series of' friction-creating s hoeswithinan inclosin'g casing or cylinder,`with lne'ans for generating a `high degree offrictional fengagenientbetween they exterior of the` friction-creating shoes and theinterior' of thecasing or cylinder', within their li-inited'r'ange of '1nove1nent', an improved frictionlshoel Generally stated, the invention consists I"in providing friction shoes adapted'florfexpan-9 sion and longitudinal movement `within casing or cylinder having portions oftheir body composed of an outer contacting abrasive or friction-creating material, different from, but adapted to coperate in frictional resistance with, the adjustable base'ofthe shoeitself.l y

In the drawings illustrating the invention, I have shown it as' applied to a type of construction of drvlift gear similar to that illustrated'an'd described in, my copending application, Serial `No. 66,935/ It will be understood, however, j that the invention' is not limited `in its'use to any particular-form ln the drawings, showingfthe aopliea'tion of the invention"tof such gea'r,--

Figure `l `isla longitudinal vertical sec` seinbled", thepaTtsbeing shown in extended position." Figi, 2' is a cross sectional 'view on the line Hf Il.` of Fig. l,

Figs.' 3,4.and inclusive, are detail' pei'- speetive views of ysegrn`ei-ital sections'coinl prising frictionshoe units, Vandshowingval' rious forms providing for the insertion thereon of the friction material, indicated in Fig; 3 in dotted lines. Fig. '6 is a detail perspective plunger Ering`l Fig-f7 isfa view siinila'r to Fig. Q ,showing a `modifiedconstruction.`

view of; the' Y Fig.: "8 "is 'sectional detail view showing a modified construction j"of l1frictiori shoe.`

suitable'front stops ll ofthecenter sillsv? ln order that the construction and operation of the form of `gear illustrated in Figs. l and Qimay be understood, itV will be solnewhat briefly described. 1

In such gear, 2 represents the drawbary of a coupler connected with the drawbars or links 3 by a transverse bolt or key l which' extends throughslots 5 in the front portion of links 3 land through slots in thecenter sills 7 of the carfraining at each side.

Links 3 extend rearwardly and engage the casing' 9 at each side between thecenter sills by any suitable connecting mechanism, as lugs 6. (Fig 2.) 1 f a A follower' l0 bears forwardly against i 7 and is supported otherwise by any suitable or necessaiyrneansproviding for easy as seniblage or remova A A central wedge blocker buiiingpressur'e bar 1S' bears directly against'the rear central portion offollower 10 by its front end, and said wedge block :is provided -at its other end 'with a wedging terminal 12 of coniforni or'fother suitable construction, the face of4 which corresponds in'degree of slope to the inner facesl of expanding wedges 20,.

Said militactingl faces taper inwardly toward the longitudinal center ofthe gear at such an4 angle as to produce aflnaxiinuln expansion with resulting freereleasel wardly against the innerfaces cfa plurality of segmentalshaped friction'shoe bases 21 inwardly disposed `wedge faces `2Q for co-A action with` the correspondingwedge faces of aninner ycentral wedgek 93j `Said'"wedge 23 isprovided atits inner terl ininal portion with outer` co-acting` wedge faces adaptedfto engage saidfaces- 2QJ ofthe friction 'shoeineinbera whereby to expand said nieniber in 4unison with the expanding actionof wedges 9 0. i l

Bufing spring mechanism of any suitable or preferredconstructionfasa rnain spring 25,/ iswinterposed between the rearmost ner endsl 34 l'of the friction shoes 31 nI nount-` edV cuba-'ses` 21and the innenY end of 4casing i 9, for Athe `p'urpose of opposinginwardinove- 'in Fig. 2, and tixedly connected tothe Several shoe bases 21. y y

Ringlel, being lloosely mounted around plunger 18 and between lip 123 and flanges 15 f acts to inaintainrhe parts in their relative operative positiomallowing for ample necessary movement, effecting outward pressure Aby the ring 14 against anges 15 when plunger 18 is retracted to releasethe parts, and at the same time preventing removal or displacement of the parts from operative position. v

The operation of the gear will be readily vunderstood from the foregoing description.

.'Ifhe' expanding action of the wedges thrusts thev outer vsurfaces of friction shoes 31 into forcible close contactwith the cylin-A dr-ical interior'` of casing 9, creating a high degree of frictional engagement therewith,

and a resultingsomewhat rapid wear, especially of the friction shoes.`

`Under theheavy strains it i`s;ordinarily necessary to use a `metal for the frictionf shoes having a high degree of strength, rigf idity, and endurance, and at an accompanying considerable cost, if made in onepiece of YmetaL- yIyhave foundin.practicethat the best results in. producing frictional action in a gearof this type are by engagement between the faces ofinetal of different kinds, and furthermore,'have found it necessary to make the shell or, cylinder 9 of a metal having a hightensile strength in order to withstand the enormousv strains lof service. j For-the purpose of bringing a large portion ofthe frictional engagement between theoperative parts between metals of different kinds, and toreduce the cost, I have therefore constructed the friction shoe bases 21 in such a form as to admit of embodiment with them of a substantially homogeneous or otherwise incorporated block ofk metal adapted to present a frictional surface to the inner face `0f the cylinder, and l to provide for all -of the wear in action.

Referring to the construction of Figs. 1, 2 andS, which show one form of such shoe base 21, and its associated shoeportion, the base 21` is provided along itscentral outer portion with a ridge 32 having a plurality of transverse openings 33, upon and around which" cast the block 31 of cast iron or extended vinwardly around the rear end of base 21-providing the terminal inclosing en d wall 311 againstwhich the spring 25 bears. In the casting operation, the metal engages lopenings 33 of ridge 3Q, and by such construction the outer friction shoe member is very intimately associated with the inner wedge-expanded base, and forms a practically integral portion thereof.

The side walls of the central ridge 32 or 321 may be undercut, ifdesired, as indicated at Fig. 4., or in dovetail forni, as at 36,

Fig 5, whereby to provide an anchoring hold for the cast-in metal, as will be readily understood, to insure its fixed engagement with the shoe base.

With either arrangement a very intimate binding and reinforcing connection is provided, and the friction shoe portions are of suflicient body portion to insure long continued use.

In Fig. 7, in which the same parts already described are shown and indicated by corresponding numerals, primed, I show a construction in which the casing 9 is provided at intervals with perforating openings 37 :ula-pted to release any arcumulation of cnttings. dirt, etc., and it will be observed that radial spaces arc provided between the segments, giving ample clearance for the same purpose. Openings for the same purpose may be also made through the lower supporting framework of the gear.

As shown in Fig. 8 the base 21 is itself provided with an integral inwardly extending lip or flange 15c adapted to be engaged by ring 141 when the gear is assembled, thus relieving the shoe itself of any strain in releasing. The shoe may also be reinforced by filling in its rear corner portion as indicated at 38, the base 21 being correspondingly beveled off, avoiding a right angle corner without weakening the base itselfl in any way.

What I claim is:

1. A Segmentalshaped, partly cylindrical friction-creating shoe for draft gears consisting of a base adapted to be forced laterally. toward the interior cylindrical surface of a confining casing and provided with a central anchoring rib, and an embracing vblock of metal cast around the outer portion of said base and inclosing its end portions, outer portion, and said rib.

2. A segmentalsshaped, partly cylindrical frictioncreating shoe for draft gears consisting of a base adapted to` be forced laterally toward the interior cylindrical surface of a confining casing and provided with a central anchoring rib, and an embracing block of metal cast around the outer portion of said base and inclosing its end portions, outer portion, and said rib, said rib having recessed portions for cooperative engagement with the metal of the outer shoe portion. Y y

3. In combination, a segmental-shaped, partly cylindrical draft gear friction shoe base having on its outer portion a longitudinal recessed rib, and an outer surrounding` shoe of cast metal covering` and embracing the face, end portions, and said rib, and provided with an outer curved face adapted to engage the inner face of an inclosing casing.

4f. In combination, a segmental shaped draft gear friction shoe base having on its outer portion a longitudinal recessed rib,

y and an outer surrounding shoe of cast metal covering and embracing the face and end portions ofthe base and said rib and providing an inwardly extending flange at one end, and having an outer curved face adapted to engage the inner face of an. inclosing casing.

5. In combination, a segmental shaped draft gear friction shoe base having on its outer portion a longitudinal recessed rib and at one end an inwardly extending flange, and an outer surrounding` shoe of cast metal covering and embracing the face and end portions of the base and said rib, and hav-` ing an outer curved face adapted to engage the inner face of an inclosing casing.

6. In a draft gear, `:in combination with.

a casing, a series of segmental shaped friction shoes therein each provided at one end with an inwardly extending flange, interior expanding wedge mechanism operable to distend the friction shoes, and a central wedge having a plunger bar and a laterally extending lip; a ring loosely engaging the plunger bar between the friction shoe iianges and the lip of the expanding wedge.

7. In combination, a shoe for draft gears consisting of a base adapted to be forced laterally toward the interior cylindrical sur` face of a confining casing and having an outer anchoringl portion and an outermost shoe of friction creating material fxedly engaging said anchoring portion and provided with a partly cylindrical face adapted to engage the surfaceof the cylinder.

8. In combination, a shoe for draft gears consisting of a base adapted to be forced laterally toward the vinterior cylindrical surface of a confining casing and having an outer anchoring portion and an outermost cast-on block of friction creating material ixedly engaging said anchoring portion and provided with a partly cylindrical face adapted to engage the surface of the cyl inder.

9. In combination, ashoe for draft gears consisting of a base adapted to be forcedy laterally toward the interior cylindrical surface of a confining casing and having an outer anchoring portion, and an outermost shoe of cast metal covering and fixedly engaging said anchoring portion and provided with a partly cylindrical face adapted to enga-ge the surface of the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. JOHN F. CO URSON.

Witnesses W. A. I'IncKMAN. C. M. CLARKE.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of atents, Washington, D. C. 

